It’s probably safe to say that Carrie Trebil is the most die-hard Clemson fan I’ve ever known.
(Mary Margaret McCaskill is a close, close second).
Being that I bleed the garnet and black for which my alma mater is known, Carrie’s hatred of the Gamecocks should be reason enough for me to not really care for her.
But, unfortunately, she’s kind of one of my favorite people. Sure, we’ve had disagreements over the years, I guess.
But in all the time I’ve known her, she’s been one of the kindest people I’ve known, even if she’s short and no one really likes her. Her fashion sense is also kind of questionable. Until recently, I wasn’t sure she owned colors other than ugly purple and orange.
But all that’s beside the point.
As one of the Junior Ambassadors of Clarendon County, she worked with Ericka Sexton Floyd and other members to bring back the Miss Clarendon Scholarship Program. She’s participated in Clarendon County Dancing with the Stars, raising money for causes like Habitat for Humanity and the Turbeville Children’s Home.
And as director of tourism for the city of Manning, she’s headed the city’s Main Street Manning program for several years, winning state awards for initiatives that have revitalized the downtown area.
But let’s ignore all that good stuff for a moment and talk about my reasons for putting this out there.
Saturday, I will be 36. Incidentally, this week marks a year since I found out I had Stage IV kidney disease, which quickly turned to Stage V and end-stage renal disease and kidney failure. I am now on peritoneal dialysis and am working on the transplant list process.
There was a time years ago that I thought I wouldn’t make it to 30. Another grave medical condition nearly killed me in my late 20s, both due to its overarching symptoms and the methods used to deal with them.
But now here we are, despite my freeloading, no-rent-paying kidneys, and I’m heading into 36.
I never ask for anything for my birthday of the community or friends.
But this year, there’s something very specific that I want. And it’s something my good friend Carrie Trebil doesn’t want to do.
If she can raise $2,500 by the end of the day on Thursday, she will not only kiss a fish – I don’t care about that part – but she will also wear Gamecock colors at the opening ceremonies of the Striped Bass Festival.
So, I need all Gamecocks out there, and friends and family, to drop by The Manning Times office this week between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. weekdays to make a donation. Or, you may donate at www.helpmakemiracles.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=346487.
The monies will go toward Miss Clarendon Cortnie Stuppard and Miss Clarendon Teen Julia Herrin and their own fundraising efforts for the Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.
So, it’s for a good cause. But the greatest cause of all is making Carrie wear the colors of “that other team,” as she calls it.
Right now, she’s at $400, which is pitiful. Help me get her $2,100 more. And if you need me to come to you and get the funds, I will do that, too.
I’ll be waiting.